The Life Of The Party
by Carly-M
Summary: Donna's depressing night out turns into a night to remember thanks to a kindhearted stranger. Donna/Declan pre-Erinsborough.


**Title:** The Life of the Party  
**Author:** Carly  
**Rating:** K  
**Characters:** Declan & Donna  
**Summary:** Donna's depressing night out turns into a night to remember thanks to a kindhearted stranger.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Neighbours - if I did, there would be a lot more wacky pairings.  
**Spoilers:** No.  
**Notes:** I'm picturing the teens at around 15-years-old. I hope I managed to capture some characteristics of what these two were like pre-Erinsborough, but my memory's a little hazy so just bear with me! I'm just pretending D&D would have no recollection of this random meeting many moons ago. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Clutching her drink like a security blanket Donna pushed her way through the throbbing mass of teenagers. It was amazing how many of them were able to cram onto the makeshift dance floor in Mikaela Pearson's backyard. Across the crowd Donna could just see the top of Mikaela's curly brunette hair. She made a beeline for her, self-consciously patting her own curling wand-enhanced tresses on the way.

As per usual, Mikaela was surrounded by admiring lackeys, all clamouring to get their moment with her. Donna hovered on the sidelines and nervously chewed holes into the rim of her foam cup while she waited for a lull in the conversation.

"Jason has been totally checking you out all night," chirped a short blonde girl.

"I know, it's pathetically cute," Mikaela smirked.

"Are you going to go over and dance with him?" asked a red-haired girl.

Applying lip gloss, Mikaela gave a derisive snort. "I'm not here to do the groundwork. If Jason wants me he can come and find me." Looking into her purse she frowned. "I need a compact."

Seizing the opportunity Donna rummaged around in her handbag and thrust a mirror towards the teen.

"Here, Mikaela, you can use mine."

"Thanks, uh..."

"Donna."

"Right."

"We have Maths together," Donna beamed. "And Art class. I remember you did that really awesome sunflower painting a few weeks ago. I tried to copy but it just looked like my paintbrush vomited yellow all over the page. You're so talented."

A few girls in the group sniggered. Mikaela raised an eyebrow and tried to hand the compact back.

"Oh no, you can keep it," Donna exclaimed. "You might need it later. Not that you need to keep looking at yourself – I'm not saying you're vain – but you might need to do a hair check or whatever... Not that your hair's, like, a bird's nest or anything! It looks ace!"

"Let me guess," Mikaela said, casting a scrutinising gaze over Donna's hair, "you tried to copy that too."

Donna nodded, tucking a stray curl behind her ear.

"I think you'd better chalk that up as another vomit moment, Honor."

"It's Donna."

"I really don't care."

Mikaela shoved the compact into Donna's hands and signalled for her cronies to follow. "What a stalker," she muttered to the red-haired girl, who giggled in return.

Donna felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment as she was left alone near the carport. Needing some air, she slowly walked around the front of the house and slumped down onto the porch steps. Even though there was no one else around she willed herself not to cry.

Why did she keep doing this? Every party she promised herself that it would be different, that she wouldn't try so hard. But every party she always ended up the same way. Friendless and alone.

Wiping a few stray tears away with the back of her hand Donna was startled when someone spoke to her.

"Are you OK?"

She looked up to see a tall-ish teenager with brown hair staring curiously at her.

"I'm fine."

"So you usually go to parties just to have a cry on the front doorstep then?"

Donna shrugged. "That's me, life of the party."

The boy laughed and sat down next to her.

"What are you doing?" Donna frowned.

"I'm sitting."

"Why?"

"Well how could I not when your enthusiasm is so infectious?"

Donna warily looked around. "Did Mikaela send you out here just to pay me out some more?"

"Who the hell's Mikaela?"

"You're kidding, right?" Donna gaped. "How can you go to West Warratah High and not know who Mikaela Pearson is?"

The boy grinned. "Who said I go to West Warratah High."

"Are you gatecrashing?"

"Well technically I haven't been to the party yet, so no gates have been crashed. But if your mood's anything to go by I don't think I'm missing out on much anyway."

Donna wondered if he was making fun of her, but his smile seemed genuine enough. "Who are you then?" she asked.

"Why does it matter?"

"Well because you're a stranger - I'd like to know if I'm sitting next to a potential axe murderer or not."

The boy laughed. "And when was the last time you heard of an axe murderer introducing themselves to someone before they chopped them up into tiny pieces?"

"It could happen!" Donna tried to remain annoyed but couldn't help breaking out into a grin. "Fine. I'll just give you a name. You're hereby known as SpongeBob."

"Classy." The boy smirked. "And you are?"

The grin slowly faded from Donna's face. "Nobody really."

"Well nobody, you're hereby known as Tinkerbell."

"What? That's a name you give to a goldfish... or a chihuahua!"

"I made you smile again though didn't I?"

"No."

"Whatever you reckon, Tinkerbell."

Donna ignored him and searched for a tissue in her purse.

"So who's this Mikaela chick anyway?" the boy asked.

"Just someone I thought was cool. My cool radar is obviously screwed."

"And why did she make you cry?"

"Because I'm a sucker for punishment. Not to mention a giant, friendless loser." Frowning, Donna gave him a sidelong glance. "Why am I telling you all of this? I barely know you!"

The boy shrugged. "So?"

"So it's kind of weird... are you sure this isn't some lame prank?" she peered around. "One of your mates isn't hiding in the bushes taping me sobbing like a baby to post on YouTube are they? Because someone already did that last year and I really don't want to re-live the humiliation."

"What? No!" The boy looked stunned. "What kind of creep do you take me for?"

"Again – I barely know you!"

"OK, fine. What do you want to know?"

"What you're doing hanging around this party."

"I was bored, so I went for a walk and this is where I ended up."

"And where do you live?"

"In the scummy part of town. Well, for now anyway. We're moving again tomorrow for, like, the fiftieth time."

Donna noted the small hint of frustration in his voice. "What do you want to be when you leave school?"

"A tap dancing astronaut." He grinned when he was met with a glare. "OK, well if that doesn't pan out then I guess in a job where I earn heaps of money."

"To buy a flashy mansion and a pimped out sports car?"

"No, to make sure my mum never has to work three jobs again in her life."

Donna looked surprised. "Oh... that's really sweet."

The boy shrugged off the compliment. "So what about you? What do you want to be when you 'grow up'?"

"I wish I was as noble as you with the mum thing but considering my mum's a psychopath... I'd love to work in the fashion industry."

"Designing things?"

"Yeah, I love to draw and create stuff. It's what keeps me sane."

"I'll bet your art teacher loves you."

Donna blushed. "My art teacher doesn't really know I have any talent." The boy looked confused so she elaborated. "I sort of pretend I can't draw so Mikaela doesn't get jealous."

"Hang on, the same Mikaela who made you cry tonight?"

Donna nodded sheepishly.

"Why the hell do you care what she thinks if she treats you like crap? You could so easily create something awesome and shove it in her face!"

"And start a war? No thanks."

"So you'd rather sacrifice your own dreams just to give some snobby cow an ego boost? That's mad."

"Well when you put it like that it sounds dumb," Donna said, turning pink, "but you don't have to live my life! I just want to fit in and have friends. The career thing can work itself out later."

"Friends like Mikaela?"

"No," Donna mumbled, her shoulders slumping, "any friends."

The boy fell quiet which made Donna feel ten times worse.

"Bet you're happy you sat down with the giant headcase now," she said sarcastically.

"You're not a headcase."

Donna raised an eyebrow at him.

"OK, well maybe just a little, but in a completely normal teenagery way." He smiled at her. "You just need to stop being so harsh on yourself and find some friends who like you for you."

"I wish you went to school with me. You're a really sweet guy, you know that?"

"Don't go spreading that around, you'll ruin my street cred," he winked.

"And there's also the fact that if Mikaela saw me with a total hottie like you she'd spontaneously combust and that'd be pretty awesome."

The boy laughed and Donna giggled along with him.

"Thanks," she said, giving his arm a squeeze.

"What for?"

"For taking pity on the headcase."

"It wasn't pity; it's been nice chatting to you." He looked at his watch. "Although I better head off, it's getting late."

Donna tried to mask her disappointment. "Got more parties to gatecrash?"

The boy appeared slightly embarrassed. "I just want to make sure I'm home before my mum gets back from her nightshift. We've still got some stuff to pack before morning."

Donna broke out into a dopey grin but the boy stopped her before she could speak.

"Don't give me that look."

"What look?"

"Like you think I'm a big smushy teddy bear – remember the street cred!"

"But you are it's adorable!" Donna laughed.

The boy tried to look annoyed but couldn't help smirking.

"What the hell are you still doing here?"

Donna jumped and peered around to see Mikaela and her cronies staring at her from across the lawn.

"I was just getting some air, Mikaela," Donna said, her good mood evaporating.

"Well get it elsewhere, I don't want you at my house." Mikaela noticed the boy Donna was with turn around and stare at her. She gave him an approving once over. "_You_ can stay if you like though. Have we met before?"

"No, I'm pretty sure I'd remember talking to a giant cow," he frowned.

Donna stifled a laugh much to Mikaela's outrage. "I thought I told you to leave, loser!"

"Fine, I'm going."

With a sigh, Donna gathered her purse and went to stand but noticed the boy holding out his hand to help her up. Smiling, she slipped her hand into his and rose to her feet, getting the shock of her life when he leaned in and kissed her. Composing herself, Donna smiled against his lips and kissed him back. When they broke apart Donna stole a glance towards Mikaela, whose face was contorted into an ugly expression.

"Has she combusted yet?" the boy murmured into Donna's ear.

"Not yet," Donna snorted, "but I think her eyeballs are about to explode."

"Sweet." He entwined his fingers through hers and used his other hand to give an exaggerated wave to Mikaela.

"See you, Taylor!" Donna called out.

"It's Mikaela and you know it," she replied through gritted teeth.

Donna shrugged. "I really don't care!"

She walked off into the night with the boy buzzing with adrenaline. When they turned the corner she couldn't help letting out a squeal of excitement. "That was the single coolest thing ever! Did you see her face when-"

But the boy cut her off mid-sentence with another kiss. This one was a lot gentler than the first. Donna's eyes fluttered open and she suddenly felt shy. "Um, I don't think Mikaela can see us anymore."

"That one wasn't for her," he grinned.

Donna smiled back. "Oh."

He offered her his arm. "Come on, Tinkerbell, let me walk you home."

She laughed and linked her arm through his. "Thanks SpongeBob."

They set off down the moonlit street in contented silence. Donna knew she'd probably never see him again, and that school would still be a hellhole on Monday now that she dared to humiliate Queen Mikaela, but right now she felt freer than she had in a long time and that's all that mattered.

_End_


End file.
